


Afternoon Hunt

by A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess)



Series: Pack Dynamics [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Day 2, Female Relationships, Gen, POV Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-04
Updated: 2015-03-04
Packaged: 2018-03-16 06:43:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3478304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even family, blood or otherwise, has to let off a little steam from time to time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Afternoon Hunt

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thelittlestbird](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thelittlestbird/gifts).



"How do you do that?"

She glances up for a moment, hands still moving automatically as she cleans the rabbit and adds it to the three they already caught.

"Do what?"

"That. With the rabbits."

She frowns at the comment as she wipes her arrow clean on some grass before standing and putting it in her quiver. "Cleaning them? Oh, come on, Mary! You do the same thing. I've watched you."

"Not that! And you don't have to call me Mary when we're alone like this. I meant the tracking. I know I still have a lot to learn, but--" Snow's words trail off as she begins chewing at her bottom lip. "I guess I'm a little jealous, okay? And you never miss!"

She shrugs then, unused to the praise for what has always seemed to come naturally. Granny always made sure she could fend for herself in the woods. The cloak helped with Wolf's Time, but she still needed to know how to survive.

"Fine, _Snow_ , I just--" She sighs as the shorter woman joins her. "I don't know anything else, you know? After I was left in her care, Granny taught me everything she knows. I mean, we can't all be princesses born into castles with servants to bathe, feed, and clothe us."

"Hey, that's not fair! I wasn't always like that."

She stops and turns to Snow. "Then what was it like, Snow? Tell me. Because I find it curious that you could be so clueless on how to care for yourself and yet claim that you weren't spoiled rotten by virtue of your birth."

"Well, I--"

"And for that matter, you had both of your parents for far longer than I had mine. All I've had for my whole life is Granny. I don't remember a single thing about my parents, but I've made my peace with that. I understand that Granny has done everything she can for me, and I'm grateful to her for that, even if I sometimes grumble about it."

"No! Red, that's-- That's not fair! You shouldn't make comparisons like that when you don't have all the facts. My mother died because someone killed her. My father was murdered at the request of my stepmother, a woman who saved my life and I thought loved me. I was left orphaned and alone after she first tried to have me killed. And yes, I had to learn how to survive on my own and take care of myself, but that doesn't give you the right to tell me that I am any less deserving of a new start at life than someone who was born under different circumstances. We all have our obstacles to overcome, Red."

She stares at Snow for a long moment, startled by the vehemence in her tone. And then she starts to laugh, full bodied laughter that makes everything ache when she's finally done. That Snow joins in only proves that things are going to be all right between them. Even family, blood or otherwise, has to let off a little steam from time to time.

"You're a brat, Red," Snow finally says as they start walking again.

"And you used to be one, Snow. Now look at you. You've learned to fend for yourself. Yes, you can use some more practice, but you're getting better. One day, you'll be _almost_ as good a hunter and tracker as I am. I guarantee it."

**Author's Note:**

> [](http://imgur.com/yCRNM7C)   
> [Source](http://threadmaiden.blogspot.com/2012/04/r-is-for-red-riding-hood.html)   
> 


End file.
